Ten Years from Now
by Hagumi
Summary: [PostGSD][Oneshot][AxC] Meyrin doesn't know she'll heal ten years from now. All she knows as she watches Athrun's shuttle leave for Orb is that she feels empty. [This will probably be edited at a later time. Please critique!]


**This is something I wrote on whim; I had the idea written down in a journal from last year and I read it a few days ago. I changed a few things here and there and came up with this! I hope it's readable!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Gundam Seed/Destiny.**

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She'll walk up the cobblestone path to the place that the Zalas like to call their "summer house", although it's more like a mansion by the seaside. And before reaches the steps of the front porch, two children will coming tearing out, and she'll drop her bags and embrace them so each is occupying one arm. And she'll want to hold them forever because she loves them so much and can never get enough of them, but they'll only stay patient just long enough for her to kiss them before launching into their usual enthusiastic and energetic speech. 

"Auntie! Auntie! We missed you! Will you play with us?" The young girl will ask, eyes shining eagerly so she knows she couldn't refuse, even if she wanted to.

"That leaves four more people before dinner!" The little boy announces after a moment of hard scrutiny. He is holding a little notepad and shows her the list of people who are going to be staying with the Zalas for the next two weeks of summer. The letters are uneven and misshapen but to her, it is better than the most beautiful script.

"Don't tell me you can write already!" Although she knows she only visits a few times a year and knows babies, especially Coordinators, learn fast, the twins never fail to amaze her by showing her a new skill every time she sees them.

"Yup! Mommy and daddy taught us, see? This is everyone that's coming today. And this is all of our toys and this is a letter we wrote for mommy and this one we wrote for daddy. And this one is our math page." The little boy wastes no time in showing off his and his sister's works to his godmother.

"This is the picture of Yuuka I drew, see?" The young girl shows her a picture of the Zalas' family golden retriever. "And this-"

"Hey you two, give her a break, won't you?" The familiar warm, gentle voice floats out to them from the front door. Athrun Zala walks out towards them and scoops each child up. "Aren't you hungry? Mana-san just took out some cookies from the oven. Why don't you go and ask her for a snack?" Hardly after the words are out of his mouth they're off again, waving to her before taunting each other about who can run faster and beat the other.

She looks after them and laughs, and although she's just arrived, she marvels at how much more refreshed she feels by just seeing them and talking with them for ten minutes. She can't wait until she has kids – she never realized how much she loved them until she met the twins.

"They're especially crazy today because of all the guests," Athrun laughs. "How are you? Was your trip comfortable?" She nods and thanks him as he helps her with her bags.

Inside, the house is filled with fresh flowers and cooking aromas wafting from the kitchen. A smile graces her lips when Athrun opens the door to the room she always occupies when she's visiting. There are drawings taped to the walls – drawings that look familiar. "Our little girl's taken a new hobby of drawing," Athrun explains as he sets the bags down by the bed. "You'll see her masterpieces all over the house."

"I liked them; they brighten up the room." She grins, and then relaxes, taking a deep breath of the fresh salty sea air that's blowing in through the wide open windows. "It's nice to be here again; this is the best place in the world in the summertime." She says happily.

Athrun nods. "It's nice to be away from the city and Parliament like this – it gives us all a chance to rest." After another moment of comfortable silence, he speaks again. "Come on, everyone's out in the back having drinks. They'll want to see you."

"I think I'll freshen up a little bit. You can go on ahead, Athrun-san. I know my way around here." She smiles at him as he nods and closes the door behind him, telling her to come and join them soon.

There are indeed many more of the young girl's artworks in the hallways. They are of various subjects ranging from the sea and the beach to flowers to figures of Athrun and his family. Her eyes light up when she hears happy voices floating into the open windows of the hallway. There is a tinkling of glasses and more laughter.

"Meyrin?" She turns to the familiar voice and sees the blonde woman coming out of the kitchen, an apron wrapped around her waist and cheeks slightly flushed from the heat of the stove and oven.

"Cagalli-san!" The redhead goes over to the older woman and they embrace.

"Athrun told me you were here; I'm sorry I wasn't out there earlier – you wouldn't believe how much work there's to do to feed so many people, not to mention other household stuff. Honestly, you'd think I'd be used to this playing the hostess role by now, but I guess some things never change." Her laughter is warm and Meyrin laughs along with her – because Cagalli-san never changes, even with the stress of having to juggle a country and two toddler twins.

"Cagalli-san, the appetizers are ready to go out—oh! Meyrin-san!" A brown-haired girl who is a few years younger than Meyrin is bows politely. She is Mana's helper, and has been around since the twins were born. "Welcome! We've missed you since spring!" Meyrin smiles at the brunette and says she has missed them all, too. And it is the truth.

The three women each carry a tray to take out to the people seated outside. There are friendly greetings from everyone to her all around; Kira and Lacus with their son Hiro; Dearka and Milliaria with their two children Tatsuya and Kazumi; Yzak and Shiho with their daughter Akina; Mwu and Murrue with their three children, Ichiro, Chiyori, and Kouhei; and her sister Lunamaria and Shinn.

Sitting in the large table with everyone like this, and eating dinner as if they were all one, big, happy family, Meyrin is happy that there is peace. She is happy that someone like Shinn, who blamed the loss of his family to Orb and Cagalli-san, is able to understand more about decisions and being strong. She is happy that Mwu-san, of whose story she has learned, is reunited with Murrue-san; she happy that Murrue-san, who she fought against in the Second War, is like a mentor and friend to her now. She is glad that she doesn't have to fight. She is glad that she is engaged to Youlan and they'll have a beautiful fall wedding.

She is glad Athrun-san and Cagalli-san are together.

But that is ten years from now. Right now, all she knows is that her heart feels achingly empty and that her dry eyes will soon well up with tears that weren't shed when he said goodbye to her. Right now, all she knows is that she wants to go after that shuttle that's taking off to Orb; wants to plead him to stay and be with her, because she's liked him forever and haven't they gone through a lot together? Right now, all she remembers is the nervous smile he gave her after hugging her goodbye because when he arrives to Orb, he'll go back to building the relationship that crumbled and drifted away during the war. She knows that he knows where his rightful position is now.

Right now, all she knows is that she's hurting with a pain so new and indescribable she doesn't even know if it's really pain or not.

Right now, she doesn't know what will happen to her ten years from now. If only she knew…

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**So how was it? Short? Long? Rushed? Boring? Please critique and thank you for reading! **


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